Automated systems for composite part fabrication
AssigneeAutodesk, Inc.
InventorJames Sherwood Page
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method includes: providing a matrix material and a fiber material separate from the matrix material to a fused deposition modelling (FDM) three dimensional (3D) printer; and delivering the matrix material and the fiber material to a printing location of the FDM 3D printer while maintaining separation of the fiber material from the matrix material up to the printing location of the FDM 3D printer, wherein the delivering includes melting the matrix material and embedding the fiber material within the matrix material. Further, a system includes: a build platform; and two or more tools associated with the build platform; wherein the two or more tools are configured and arranged with respect to the build platform to add matrix material and fiber material in non-planar layers to build the object.
Claims16
A method comprising:
- providing a matrix material and a fiber material separate from the matrix material to a fused deposition modelling (FDM) three dimensional (3D) printer;
- and
- delivering the matrix material and the fiber material to a printing location of the FDM 3D printer while maintaining separation of the fiber material from the matrix material up to the printing location of the FDM 3D printer, wherein the delivering comprises melting the matrix material and embedding the fiber material within the matrix material;
- and
- wherein the matrix material comprises a first polymer, the fiber material comprises a second polymer, and both the first polymer and the second polymer are formed from a same monomer, but the first polymer has a lower melting temperature than the second polymer.
A method comprising:
- providing a matrix material and a fiber material separate from the matrix material to a fused deposition modelling (FDM) three dimensional (3D) printer;
- and
- delivering the matrix material and the fiber material to a printing location of the FDM 3D printer while maintaining separation of the fiber material from the matrix material up to the printing location of the FDM 3D printer, wherein the delivering comprises melting the matrix material and embedding the fiber material within the matrix material;
- wherein the delivering comprises delivering the matrix material and the fiber material with a single tool;
- and
- wherein the single tool comprises a heated nozzle and a roller on a swivel system, and the delivering comprises:
- delivering the matrix material with the heated nozzle;
- and
- delivering the fiber with the roller on the swivel system.
A method comprising:
- providing a matrix material and a fiber material separate from the matrix material to a fused deposition modelling (FDM) three dimensional (3D) printer;
- and
- delivering the matrix material and the fiber material to a printing location of the FDM 3D printer while maintaining separation of the fiber material from the matrix material up to the printing location of the FDM 3D printer, wherein the delivering comprises melting the matrix material and embedding the fiber material within the matrix material;
- and
- wherein the delivering comprises depositing one or more first material segments with at least one first locking portion and one or more second material segments with at least one second locking portion with the at least one second locking portion having a shape that is defined by a shape of the at least one first locking portion, whereby the at least one second locking portion forms an interlock with the at least one first locking portion, and wherein the first and second material segments each comprise a continuous material, and the interlocked first and second material segments form an object having comparable resistance to delamination or breakage in all directions.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.